Total anomalous pulmonary venous return (TAPVR) is a congenital heart defect inherited via complex genetic and/or environmental factors.

What causes TAPVR?

In many cases, we don’t know what causes TAPVR. It occurs because of abnormal development of the heart’s pulmonary veins during early fetal growth. Some congenital heart defects may have a genetic link, causing heart problems to occur more often in certain families.

How many people have TAPVR?

In other words, about 1 in every 7,809 babies born in the United States each year are born with Total Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Return.